Immune-tolerance inducer

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to create an immune tolerance-inducing agent used in therapy in which donor hematopoietic cells are transplanted into a recipient in order to induce immune tolerance in the recipient with respect to donor cells, tissue, or organs. By using an alpha-galactosylceramide-containing liposome in combination with a costimulatory-pathway-blocking substance, hematopoietic chimerism can be induced in the recipient by transplantation of donor hematopoietic cells, making it possible to induce immune tolerance in the recipient with respect to donor cells, tissue, or organs.

1 . An immune tolerance-inducing agent, comprising a liposome comprising α-galactosylceramide and a substance inhibiting costimulatory pathway. 
     
     
         2 . The immune tolerance-inducing agent according to  claim 1 , wherein the costimulatory pathway is CD40/CD40L costimulatory pathway. 
     
     
         3 . The immune tolerance-inducing agent according to  claim 1 , wherein the substance inhibiting costimulatory pathway is an anti-CD40 antibody or an anti-CD40L antibody. 
     
     
         4 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The immune tolerance-inducing agent according to  claim 1 , wherein the liposome comprising α-galactosylceramide and the substance inhibiting costimulatory pathway are contained in one preparation. 
     
     
         8 . The immune tolerance-inducing agent according to  claim 1 , which is of a two-agent form comprising a preparation comprising the liposome comprising α-galactosylceramide and a preparation comprising the substance inhibiting costimulatory pathway. 
     
     
         9 . A method for inducing immune tolerance in a recipient with respect to donor cells, tissue, or organ, comprising administering liposome comprising α-galactosylceramide and a substance inhibiting costimulatory pathway to the recipient into which donor hematopoietic cells were transplanted or the recipient into which donor hematopoietic cells are to be transplanted. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A hematopoietic cell chimeria-inducing agent, comprising liposome comprising α-galactosylceramide and a substance inhibiting costimulatory pathway. 
     
     
         12 . The hematopoietic cell chimeria-inducing agent according to  claim 11 , which is administered to a recipient into which donor hematopoietic cells were transplanted or a recipient into which donor hematopoietic cells are to be transplanted. 
     
     
         13 . The hematopoietic cell chimeria-inducing agent according to  claim 12 , wherein the donor hematopoietic cells are hematopoietic cells derived from bone marrow, cord blood, or peripheral blood. 
     
     
         14 . The hematopoietic cell chimeria-inducing agent according to  claim 11 , wherein the costimulatory pathway is CD40/CD40L costimulatory pathway. 
     
     
         15 . The hematopoietic cell chimeria-inducing agent according to  claim 11 , wherein the substance inhibiting costimulatory pathway is an anti-CD40 antibody or an anti-CD40L antibody. 
     
     
         16 . A method for inducing formation of a hematopoietic cell chimera in the body of a recipient, comprising administering liposome comprising α-galactosylceramide and a substance inhibiting costimulatory pathway to the recipient into which donor hematopoietic cells were transplanted or the recipient into which donor hematopoietic cells are to be transplanted. 
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising producing a hematopoietic cell chimeria-inducing agent with a liposome comprising α-galactosylceramide and a substance inhibiting costimulatory pathway. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the donor hematopoietic cells to be transplanted are hematopoietic cells derived from bone marrow, cord blood, or peripheral blood. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the donor hematopoietic cells to be transplanted are bone marrow. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the donor cells, tissue, or organ are a part or the whole of the heart, lung, liver, small intestine, skin, kidney or pancreas derived from the donor.